Trolley-mechanism-controlled switch.



J. R. NESTOR. TR'OLLEY MECHANISM CONTROLLED SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7, 1910.

Patented July 23, 1912.

UNITED sT rEs PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. NESTOR, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

TROLLEY-MECHANISM-CONTROLLED SWITCH.

To all 'LOZL-Ofl'b it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN R. NESTOR, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of Seattle, in the county of King and State of WVashington, have invented certain new and useful 1mprovements in Trolley Mechanism Controlled Switches, of which the following is a specification.

The invention pertains to electrical cross over connections for transferring current be tween different leads, and the primary aim thereof is to provide such a connection in conjunction with reversible trolley mechanism for adjustment in common therewith.

The invention resides in certain novel features set forth in the following description and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a trolley car with my invention applied thereto in such form as now preferred by me. Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a section on line 44 of Fig. 1.

The car 11, as shown, is provided with trolley mechanism 12 for taking current forthe motor from an overhead conducting wire 12 extending along the roadway.

Reference numerals 14, 15 designate electric leads or wires connected with terminals 17, 17" and 18, 18 respectively. The terminals 17, 18 are arranged on the trolley harp 30 and combined with a switch part on the trolley wheel 31 in the same manner as disclosed in my companion application Serial No. 547,938 executed on even date herewith. In this arrangement the terminals 17, 18 are in the form of rollers journaled on spring pressed binding posts slidably mounted one in advance of the other in insulating bushings 30 seated in one arm of harp 30, while the switch part comprises electrically connected annular contacts 32, 33 secured in concentric relation on an insulating side facing 31 of wheel 31, which wheel is journaled in bearings 30 provided in harp 30. These bearings are elongated to allow for play of the wheel to shift contact 32 from terminal 17 to 18 or vice versa as the case may be when the direction of travel of the wheel is reversed.

The terminals 17"-, 18 as shown, are combined with the standard 34 of the trolley Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 7, 1910.

ing side facing of wheel, 31.

Serial No. 547,939.

pole and appear in the form of rollers which are journaled on binding posts 34, 34 secured to but insulated from said standard.

In conjunction with the terminals 17 18 I provide companion terminals, as 17 18", for lead extensions 14, 15. These companion terminals are conveniently in the form of segmental contact plates secured to but insulated from the base 34 in which standard 34 is journaled. In opposite arrangement to contact 33 I have shown a similar annulus 33 which is secured to an insulat- The peripheries of these annular parts, which as will be observed, are of frusto-conical form, are adapted for engagement with opposite roadway contacts, as 12*, 12", provided in electrical connection with conductor 12 at opposite sides of the path of wheel 31 to serve contact 33 when presented at either side of said path. These roadway contacts are in the form of plates provided with angular contact surfaces, see Fig. 3 and slidably mounted for vertical movement in suitable recesses provided in a conducting block 39 in which bolts 39 are seated in screw threaded engagement with fastening clips 39 of conductor 12.

The lead extensions 14, 15 may be utilized in connection with electrical signaling apparatus, as for example, a station indicator designated at 8 and including electromagnets, as 9, 9. for operating the indicating mechanism in reverse directions and connected, respectively with the extensions 14,

15. In this use of my invention a block 39 with contacts 12, 12 is provided for each interval between stations of the railroad-and supported in any convenient manner, as for example, by means of a span wire engaged with a suitable insulator, as 29", secured to the block.

When the car, traveling in the direction indicated by arrow in Fig. l with the trolley arranged as shown, passes a block 29 contacts 33, 33 engage the contacts 12 12 respectively, thereby insuring straight line movement of wheel 31 in passing the block and positive engagement of contact 33 with contact 12*, during which engagement current passes from contact 32 along lead 14 to terminal 17 and thence to terminal 17 and along extension 14 to magnet 9. In the event of backward movement of the car, wheel 31 will be adjusted, as heretofore described, and shift cont-act 32 from terminal Patented July 23, 1912.

17 to 18, thereby setting this contact for directing current to lead 15 to energize magnet 9 in the event that backward travel of the car is continued to a block 39. When the position of the trolley pole is reversed for a return run, terminals 17, 18 are brought into contact with the terminals 18 17 respectively thereby connecting lead 14.- with magnet 9 and lead 15 with magnet 9.

Having thus described my invent-ion what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America, is:

1. In combination with a supporting means on the car, an electrical conductor arranged along the roadway, and a roadway contact electrically connected with a source of electrical energy, a switch mecha nism mounted on said supporting means comprising spaced lead terminals and means adjustably supported for electrically connecting one or the other of said lead terminals with said roadway contact, said last means being arranged to be held in engagement with said conducto and thereby controlled for adjustment by reverse movements of the car.

2. In combination with a supporting means on the car, and an electrical conductor arranged along the roadway, of a trolley wheel arranged for travel on said conductor, said wheel being supported on said first means for relative movement in forward and rearward directions, a switch mechanism mounted on said supporting means comprising spaced lead terminals, and an electrical switch member controlled for operation by reverse movements of said wheel for connection with one or the other of said lead terminals, and means for c011- necting said switch member with a source of electrical energy.

3. In combination with a supporting means on the car, and an electrical conductor arranged along the roadway, means supported on said first means for engagement with said conductor, said last means being rotatably and bodily adjustable in forward and rearward directions, a switch mechanism mounted on said supporting means comprising spaced lead terminals and a switch element carried by said second named means for connection with one or the said conductor for taking current therefrom and supported to be adjusted bodily in opposite directions by reverse movements of the car, and a switch mechanismcomprising spaced lead terminals and an electrical conducting element movably supported for electrical connection with one or the other of said lead terminals controlled for operation by said member of the trolley mechanism during its bodily adjustment.

5. In combination with a car, and the electrical conductor therefor arranged along the roadway, of trolley mechanism on said car including a conductor engaging member supported to be adjusted in opposite directions with respect to the car by reverse movements of the latter, a switch mechanism comprising spaced lead terminals, and means controlled by reverse movements of the conductor engaging member of said trolley mechanism for electrical connection with one or the other of said lead terminals.

6. In combination with a car, the trolley pole thereof, a roadway contact connected with a source of electrical energy, and the electrical conductor arranged along the roadway, of a wheel for engagement with said conductor for taking current therefrom, said wheel being supported on said trolley pole for bodily adjustment in forward and rearward directions relatively to the car, an annular contact fixed for movement with said wheel and adapted to engage and to receive current from said roadway contact, and spaced lead terminals on said trolley pole arranged in the path of adjustment of said annular contact for alternative engagement therewith.

7. In mechanism of the character described, in combination, a supporting means on the car, a switch mechanism mounted on said supporting means, said switch mechanism comprising spaced. lead terminals and adjustably supported means provided with a contact adapted to be electrically connected with one or the other of said lead terminals by movement of the adjustable means, means extending along the roadway for travel of said adjustable means thereon, said adjustable means being arranged to be held in constant engagement with said last named means for adjustment by reverse movements of the car, and means for connecting the contact of said adjustable means with a source of electrical energy.

Signed at Seattle, Washington this 21st day of February 1910.

JOHN R. NESTOR.

Witnesses:

E. A. HARTLEY, SELMA VVELLANDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). O. 

